NetherRealm Studios is working to create a globally unified multiplayer experience for Mortal Kombat X, with the ever-present “Faction War” and other features.

Mortal Kombat [9] featured a robust catalog of multiplayer modes, however the online functionality itself suffered from periodic connection “hiccups”, resulting in severe cases of lag, and players constantly dropping from matches. Developer NetherRealm Studios promises that the online capabilities have been drastically improved for MKX. Not only will the tenth installment of the core Mortal Kombat saga have a better “netcode”, but players will see new kinds of ways to connect with others, through the use of several new online modes.

This morning, a new video from NetherRealm featured several long-time members of the studio discussing their history with the Mortal Kombat franchise, and how Mortal Kombat X represents the “next generation of the Mortal Kombat universe”. With the online multiplayer component of Fighters becoming more prevalent than ever, NetherRealm is creating a new way for players to participate with each other on a global scale, with the new “Faction War” system. When a player decided to take his/her skills online for the very first time, he or she must decide which Faction to side with; the five Factions represented in the Mortal Kombat X lore are the Lin Kuei, Black Dragon, Brotherhood of Shadow, White Lotus, and the Special Forces.

Once the player aligns with a Faction, his/her actions earn points that are contributed towards a global pool. At the end of each week, the Faction with the most points will receive special in-game bonuses. Players can also boost their ranks within each Faction by completing in-game challenges and other modes; as rank increases, more points are contributed towards the Faction War. While no extra details were given, for one day each week, Factions can be “invaded” by members of the more powerful Realms, including Outworld and Chaos Realm.

Apart from the ongoing Faction War, Ranked Match, King of the Hill, Survivor and Test Your Luck have all been confirmed for Mortal Kombat X. The iconic “Tower” modes have returned, complete with the dynamic “Living Towers” that feature daily challenges, some of which cycle “on the hour”:

As an added bonus, Quan Chi’s 2nd Fatality can be seen at roughly the 3:18 mark. Mortal Kombat X will release for 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 and PC on 4/14.

Source: NetherRealm Studios
Image courtesy of NetherRealm, WB Games